PRACTICAL JOKES. 79 monkey and a bear! A bear, my friends, is a very grave kind of a personage, and, as you plainly see, does not understand a joke!'" 7. The fate of Gonello, the jester, is memorable in the history of practical jokes. He was the son of a glover in Florence, I and born between the years 1390 and 1400. Having been received into the service of Nic'òlo the Third, Marquis of Ferra'ra,1 as a buffoon or jester, he became a great favorite. But at last the marquis falling ill of a quartan a'gue, the court physician recommended that his excellency should be suddenly submerged in cold water, without warning or preparation. 8. Poor Gonello generously undertook to carry out the prescription; and, one day, as the marquis was strolling along the bank of a river, Gonello ran up, and pushed him suddenly into the water. On being pulled out, the marquis was so enraged that he would listen to no explanation of the jester's conduct. Gonello fled from the city to Padua; and the marquis issued an edict against him, proclaiming sentence of death" should he again set foot on Ferrara ground.' 9. As Gonello soon heard, however, that the marquis (thanks to his ducking) was fast recovering his health and good humor,54 and as it was not a practical joke, but an act of humanity, that the jester had intended, he determined, in spite of the edict, to return to Ferrara. But, that he might go as much in character as possible, keeping within the letter of the law at the same time, he procured a cart filled with earth from Padua, and, standing upon it, entered Ferrara, protesting that the edict could not apply to him, as it was on "Ferrara ground" only that he was liable to be arrested, whereas he could prove that he stood on Paduan soil. ΕΙ 10. This special pleading did not, however, avail. He was hurried off to prison; the last rites of religion were administered to him; and the next day he was brought forth, in the presence of an immense assemblage, to the scaffold. Poor fellow! He thought it a very hard case that such a tragedy should succeed so much mirth as he had been the means of dispensing. Commending his soul to Heaven,30 he forgave all his enemies, laid his head upon the block, and told the executioner to do his work quickly. 11. With a grin upon his countenance, that functionary approached, made a flourish with his axe, and then dexterously slipping it out of sight, seized a pail of water, and emptied it on the bare throat of the prisoner. The assembled crowd burst into shouts of exultation and joy. But why does Gonello remain motionless, with his head on the block? Is he attempt→ ing another joke, by feigning to be asleep? Alas! he is dead. Yes; the mortal life of the jester of Ferrara terminated there. He was the victim of a practical joke, but a crueler one than he had ever himself attempted. The marquis was overwhelmed with grief by the disastrous result, and paid every honor to the memory of the unfortunate Gonello. XVI. CONTRASTED SOLILOQUIES. . 1. "ALAS!" exclaimed a silver-headed sage, "how narrow is the utmost extent of human science! - how circumscribed the sphere of intellectual exertion! I have spent my life in acquiring knowledge; but how little do I know! The further I attempt to penetrate the secrets of nature, the more I am bewildered and benighted. Beyond a certain limit, all is but confusion or conjecture; so that the advantage of the learn'ed over the ignorant consists greatly in having ascertained how little is to be known. 2. "It is true that I can measure the sun, and compute the distances of the planets; I can calculate their periodical movements, and even ascertain the laws by which they perform their sublime revolutions; but, with regard to their construction, and the beings which inhabit them, what do I know more than the clown? 3. " Delighting to examine the economy of nature in our own world, I have analyzed the elements, and have given names to their component parts. And yet, should I not be as much at a loss to explain the burning of fire, or to account for the liquid quality of water, as the vulgar, who use and enjoy them without thought or examination ? EI 4. "I remark that all bodies, unsupported, fall to the ground; and I am taught to account for this by the law of gravitation." But what have I gained here more than a term? Does it convey to my mind any i-de'a of the nature of that mysterious and invisible chain, which draws all things to a common centre? I observe the effect, I give a name to the cause; but can I explain or comprehend it? 5. " Pursuing the track of the naturalist, I have learned to distinguish the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms, and to divide these into their distinct tribes and families; but can I' tell, after all this toil, whence a single blade of grass derives its vitality? Could the most minute researches enable me to discover the ex'quisite pencil that paints and fringes the flower of the field? Have I ever detected the secret that gives their brilliant dye to the ruby and the emerald, or the art that enamels the delicate shell? ΕΙ EI CONTRASTED SOLILOQUIES. 81 6. "I observe the sagacity of animals; I call it instinct, and speculate upon its various degrees of approximation to the reason of man. But, after all, I know as little of the cogitations of the brute as he does of mine. When I see a flight of birds overhead, performing their evolutions, or steering their course to some distant settlement, their signals and cries are as unintelligible to me as are the learn'ed languages to the unlettered rustic; I understand as little of their policy and laws, as they do of Blackstone's E Com'mentaries. ΕΙ 7. "But, leaving the material creation, my thoughts have often ascended to loftier subjects, and indulged in metaphysicalEL speculation. And here, while I easily perceive in myself the two distinct qualities of matter and mind, I am baffled in every attempt to comprehend their mutual dependence and mysterious connection. When my hand moves in obedience to my will, have I the most distant conception of the manner in which the volition is either communicated or understood? Thus, in the exercise of one of the most simple and ordinary actions, I am perplexed and confounded if I attempt to account for it. ΕΙ 8. " Again, how many years of my life were devoted to the acquisition of those languages by the means of which I might explore the records of remote ages, and become familiar with the learning and literature of other times! And what have I găthered from these, but the mortifying fact that man has ever been struggling with his own im'potence, and vainly endeavoring to overleap the bounds which limit his anxious inquiries? 9. "Alas! then, what have I gained by my laborious re'searches, but a humbling conviction of my weakness and ignorance? How little has man, at his best estate, of which to boast! What folly in him to glory in his contracted powers, or to value himself upon his imperfect acquisitions!" 10. "Well," exclaimed a young lady, just returned from school," my education is at last finished! —indeed, it would be strange if, after five years' 141 hard application, any thing were left incomplete. Happily, that is all over now; and I have nothing to do but to exercise my various accomplishments. Let me see ! 11. -As to French, I am mistress of that, and speak it, if possible, with more fluency than English. Italian I can read with ease, and pronounce very well; as well, at least, as any of my friends, — and that is all one need wish for in Italian. Music I have learned till I am perfectly sick of it. But, now that we have a grand piano, it will be delightful to play when we have company; I must still continue to practise a little the only thing, I think, that I need now improve myself in. And then there are my Italian songs! which every body allows I sing with taste; and, as it is what so few people can pretend to, I am particularly glad that I can. 66 12. My drawings are universally admired, especially the shells and flowers, which are beautiful certainly: besides this, I have a decided taste in all kinds of fancy ornaments. And then my dancing and waltzing, in which our master himself owned that he could take me no further;—just the figure for it, certainly it would be unpardonable if I did not excel. 13. "As to common things, geography, and history, and poetry, and philosophy, thank my stars, I have got through. them all! so that I may consider myself not only perfectly accomplished, but also thoroughly well informed. Well, to be sure, how much I have fagged through! — the only wonder is, that one head can contain it all!" JANE TAYLOR. 1. MAY Heaven guide the poor ex'ile! He goes wandering over the earth. I have passed through various countries; their inhabitants have seen me, and I have seen them; but we have not known each other. The exile is every where alone! When at the decline of day I saw the smoke of some cottage rise from the bosom of a valley, I said, "Happy is he who returns at evening to his fireside, and seats himself among those he loves!" The exile is every where alone! 2. Whence come those clouds driven by the storm? It drives me along like them. But what matters it? The exile is every where alone! Those trees are noble, those flowers are beautiful; but they are not the flowers nor the trees of my country; to me they say nothing.37 The exile is every where alone! That stream flows gently over the meadow, but its murmur is not that which my childhood heard. To me it recalls no remembrances. The exile is every where alone! but 3. Those songs are sweet; but the sorrows and the joys which they awake are not my sorrows nor my joys. The exile is every where alone! I have been asked, "Why weepest thou? when I have told, no one has wept; for no one understood me. The exile is every where alone! I have seen old men surrounded by children, as the olive by its branches; but none of those old men called me his son, none of those children called me his brother. The exile is every where alone. 4. I have seen young girls smile, with a smile as pure as the dawn, on him they had chosen for a husband; but not one smiled on me. The exile is every where alone! I have seen young men, heart to heart, embrace each other, as if they wished to have only one existence; but not one pressed my hand. The exile is every where alone! There are friends, wives, fathers, brothers, only in one's own country. The exile is every where alone! 5. Poor exile! cease to lament. thyself; every one beholds father, away and vanish. Every one is banished like mother, wife, friend, pass Our country is not here below; man seeks for it here in vain; that which he mistakes for it is only a resting-place for a night. Heaven guide the poor exile! wandering over the earth. He goes LAMENNAIS. WHEN Spring comes with suns and showers, When the glowing Summer's born, When mild suns in Autumn shine, When gray Winter comes, what glow Buds and flowers. Hay and corn. Fruit and wine. Ice and snow. Hay and corn, and buds and flowers, Spring blows, Summer glows, Autumn reaps, Winter keeps. Spring prepares, Summer provides, Autumn hoards, Winter hides. Come, then, friends, their praises sound; Time makes ripe, and Time makes wise. SCHOTTEL. |